variants
also cagy
1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
a cagey old politician who is exceptionally skilled at getting federal money for his district
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reluctant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
when it came time to sign the contract, he suddenly got cagey about taking on the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cagey
Unseld was cagey about the playing-time restrictions for all three players, declining to share details about any of their medical limits during his pregame news conference.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
While department officials initially were cagey about whether pepper spray would be allowed at the new Kilpatrick, the department ultimately determined officers would not carry it.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Joining another lab at her institution might be an option, but that would mean abandoning her main research interests, and other groups have also been cagey about funding.
—Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 30 Jan. 2026
Exceptions finally arrived with the emergence of Max Cervantes as slick and cagey defense lawyer Billy Flynn.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cagey
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
While department officials initially were cagey about whether pepper spray would be allowed at the new Kilpatrick, the department ultimately determined officers would not carry it.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Joining another lab at her institution might be an option, but that would mean abandoning her main research interests, and other groups have also been cagey about funding.
—Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 30 Jan. 2026
Exceptions finally arrived with the emergence of Max Cervantes as slick and cagey defense lawyer Billy Flynn.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cagey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cagey
Adjective
-
Dano’s static line delivery gets used for a chilling but laconic effect as his character’s cunning political negotiations lead to deadly outcomes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
-
There’s arguably no one better placed to collaborate with VFX artists on a motion-capture performance than Serkis, who’s delivered innocence, cunning, cruelty, longing, and kindness in roles that run from Golum to Caesar to King Kong himself.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Trump spent months criticizing Warsh's predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interest rates, with the Republican president arguing that lower borrowing costs would provide an economic boost.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2026
-
Trump spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates, with the Republican president arguing that lower borrowing costs would provide an economic boost.—
Will Weissert,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Even though saying goodbye to my favorite boots for the season is always a little bittersweet, there are so many cute styles that make the switch seamless—and fun.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
-
The new Huawei smartwatch has a larger display, a ceramic-like metal finish on the White model, and an all-new mini workout mode, which unlocks cute panda watch faces!—
Prakhar Khanna,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
That this surprisingly moving scene is then revealed to be merely imaginary is another example of the hesitant screenplay’s frustrating tendency not to follow through on the most obviously dramatic consequences of its arable premise.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
In The Legacy, Dean and Allie are still together, but Allie is hesitant to take the next steps in getting engaged.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gary, meanwhile, is a creature of the city in slick suits and a Mercedes, a divorced former cop who now leverages his old connections for vague, lucrative work that may not ever cross over into the explicitly illicit, but that definitely involves shades of gray.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
-
Underfoot, the grippy Vibram outsole delivers reliable traction on everything from loose gravel to slick roots.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
She was left to ponder empty dresser drawers and piece together the subtle clues of their final days together.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
-
The photo reveals subtle imperfections in the arc of the moon's crescent, created as sunlight fell on craters and broken terrain lining the shadowy divide separating night from day on the lunar surface.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cagey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cagey. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
